Jennie of Blackpink made headlines in late 2019 as a major fashion influencer when a bear scarf she had worn in an airport went viral on social media platforms, leading to it being sold out globally as a result. Kdrama and Kpop culture have always had a major influence on fashion worldwide. With the rise of the Y2K style, much of the inspiration for fashion has been taken from Kdrama globally. For example,platform shoes are becoming a trend, as seen in the Kdrama True Beauty. Through their captivating storytelling, stylish characters, and strategic marketing, Kdramas have become a significant force in shaping global fashion trends, influencing everything from clothing and accessories to hairstyles and makeup.
At the beginning of a Kdrama, the characters are typically set as either a very rich person with the amount of
wealth as a CEO of a company, or they are very poor, working day and night to fend for themselves. This is usually apparent from their initial appearance; in the first few seconds, the audience can tell from a character’s clothing if they are very poor or from a rich family. A character might be wearing a very clean suit and tie or very cheap clothes. This is done intentionally as costume designers put together clothes and accessories to tell the story of the character which can revolutionize the plot. As in the Kdrama Crash Landing onYou, the female lead Yoon Se-ri’s initially big fashion statement pieces gradually became more mature throughout the series as she adapts to life in North Korea. This ultimately shows her resilience and growth as a character. These pieces became very famous as they show the growth of the character. Julia Hernandez, a student at DHS, stated that, “[she] liked the floral dresses with Turtlenecks in ‘Crash Landing on you’ as they showed Se-ri being stronger in North Korea. It was so fashionable that [she] started wearing it as a style.”This style became so popular that many stores in the U.S., specifically Nordstrom, are selling it as a TurtleneckFloral Dress.
With these fashion pieces becoming so popular in K-dramas, the trends they start quickly translate into the real world. With many pieces coming from high-end luxury brands such as YSL or Louis Vuitton, many can’t afford to buy these items, which is where retailers come in. A company named Fashion Chingu recreates these iconic fashion pieces from not only K-dramas but also K-pop; they do so without the enormous price tag, making it affordable for many viewers and consumers. This company promotes itself by paying influencers to create videos that guide and enable consumers to buy these K-drama-inspired looks, allowing both the company and the influencer to profit. This can help many consumers adopt these outfits. With the many changing trends, consumers can keep buying what they like due to “Hallyu,” or the Korean wave, where others are inspired and propelled towards Korean culture. However, many trends have a very fast-paced cycle, or the term “fast fashion,” as many K-dramas come at once. Their trends are bound to crash, yet making these clothes causes “8-10% of global emissions,” according to BBC. On top of this, many people throw these clothes out once the trend dies, causing a lot of waste on the Earth. Due to these trends, many are upset at the poor decisions people make, such as Lea Rodriguez a college student at Westconn, who states that, “there is already so much waste on the Earth and we are just adding more waste by throwing these outfits out instead of reusing them or donating these clothes.” According to Rodriguez, creating these trends only causes more harm than good to the environment, as making these clothes contributes to climate change, and after use, many consumers don’t keep them anymore, feeling the need to throw them away.
K-dramas don’t only impact fashion; they also influence the beauty industry. This has caused many trends, such as glass skin. While there is no single origin of the glass skin appearance, K-pop idols mostly promoted it, particularly K-drama actress Park Shin Hye for her incredibly smooth skin with no texture. This flawless complexion became a desired look for many influencers. This started the trend of purchasing numerous Korean products to achieve the glass skin look. Rodriguez mentioned that she also participated in this trend, stating she “bought the COSRX Snail Mucin Essence and the Laneige Cream Skin Refiner” to help achieve this glass skin look. It became such a popular trend worldwide that an influencer from Brazil named Lore Souza participated in the glass skin trend, making videos on how to achieve its look.
In conclusion, from specific garments like Jennie’s bear scarf to broader trends like Y2K’s resurgence, Kdramas have undeniably revolutionized global fashion by seamlessly integrating style into compelling narratives. However, the rapid pace of Kdrama-driven trends raises concerns about sustainability, as the resulting fast-fashion cycle contributes to environmental harm and necessitates a shift towards more conscious consumption.
